Gill Arbuthnott was born and brought up in Edinburgh, but escaped briefly to study in St Andrews and Southampton. She couldn't stay away, however, and now lives in Edinburgh with her family and Leonard the cat. A former biology teacher, she has written several novels for younger children: The Chaos Clock, The Chaos Quest, Dark Spell and Winterbringers (all Floris Books), as well as books with Barrington Stoke and The Keeper’s Daughter, published by Chicken House.